Article: Charlie Stramel Is Starting To Look Like A Better Jordan Greenway

[Robert Brent]

View full article

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Thank you for posting these plays. The assist and 1st goal looked like phenomenal plays by his teammates. Always easier to score when you are setup with a wide open goal to shoot at, but nice that he was able to find the net with his shot. The tip in looked like his best point so far on the season.

Hopefully he can continue to contribute positive plays and develop into a useful player for the Wild on the 3rd or 4th line.

[Pewterschmidt]

Ooohh black Betty Stram-ba-lam

[Tony Abbott]

Greenway's an interesting comp there, because Greenway wasn't a big-time scorer in college, either.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

6 minutes ago, Tony Abbott said:

Greenway's an interesting comp there, because Greenway wasn't a big-time scorer in college, either.

Certainly not big-time, but Greenway had 31 points(10 goals) in 37 games his 2nd college season, and was 1 point away from a point per game his 3rd year.

Stramel had 20 points in his first 67 games. If Stramel can exceed 25 points this season, it would go a long way towards showing a possible NHL future, even if that future is simply a checking line role.

[FredJohnson]

Is Stramel pronounced Stram-el or Stray-mul?

[Citizen Strife]

I maintain the Stramel pick was a "need" pick rather than best player available, mostly due to the uncertainty about Rossi going into last season.  The Wild didn't have a lot of options at center past Ek.  Hartman and Gaudreau are swing players, but natural center players were kinda hard to come by.  Even moreso was fighting the "size" thing that is almost always going to cloud this team until their quality of play dictates it won't matter...if ever.

Rossi and Khusnutdinov are definitely playing up to their potential right now, and Ek is a lifer.  Hartman's better than he gets credit for, but there's always more.  You can never have too many options either due to injury, salary reason, or just pure depth concerns.  Kumpulainen could be a sleeper option as well, given he seems more offensively inclined than Stramel is right now.  Heidt obviously has the offense but is about a year or two away from cracking the lineup.

You have Yurov sitting there as the next guy up (whenever that actually freaking happens...).  But people like Stramel, Kumpulainen, Heidt, etc. can push for depth roles along with Khusnutdinov doing that now.  

[Citizen Strife]

2 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

Is Stramel pronounced Stram-el or Stray-mul?

This is gonna be another one of those Trenin/Trenion things, isn't it?  Don't all press announcers have those pronunciation sheets with them?  You'd think that's mandatory.

[Willy the poor boy]

40 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

Is Stramel pronounced Stram-el or Stray-mul?

He'll tell us eventually. it only took Rossi 2 years to tell us it's pronounced Row-See.

If I was to venture a guess, I would say thats a big reason BG doesn't like him. He doesn't see him as strong mentally. Just a guess, but I get that from Guerin.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

6 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

He'll tell us eventually. it only took Rossi 2 years to tell us it's pronounced Row-See.

And then he went back to everyone calling him Ross-E.

Ross-E definitely sounds better to my ears than Row-C, but it was surprising that he gave the nod to go back to that after he had the announcers calling him Row-C for a season.

I like the sound of Stramm-el better than Stray-mull, but I could get used to either.

 

[Willy the poor boy]

2 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

And then he went back to everyone calling him Ross-E.

Ross-E definitely sounds better to my ears than Row-C, but it was surprising that he gave the nod to go back to that after he had the announcers calling him Row-C for a season.

I like the sound of Stramm-el better than Stray-mull, but I could get used to either.

 

I didn't even know it changed back, but ya I agree with you on both.

[Pewterschmidt]

46 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

And then he went back to everyone calling him Ross-E.

Ross-E definitely sounds better to my ears than Row-C, but it was surprising that he gave the nod to go back to that after he had the announcers calling him Row-C for a season.

I like the sound of Stramm-el better than Stray-mull, but I could get used to either.

 

Just don’t be the guy who rolls the R’s saying Row-C.  Don’t be that guy, please.  

[Outskated]

Stramel was still a big reach, only projects as a bottom 6 center. Should never draft for need, especially when there was superior talent available still at 21.  Brackett missed the boat on that one.  I hope I am proven wrong though.  

[Willy the poor boy]

17 minutes ago, Outskated said:

Stramel was still a big reach, only projects as a bottom 6 center. Should never draft for need, especially when there was superior talent available still at 21.  Brackett missed the boat on that one.  I hope I am proven wrong though.  

The consensus was that was Guerins pick. And, to me it never really fit Brackett's pattern so I believe it was BG's pick with Brackett's blessing. Lets not let Guerin off the hook again. It's always been, if it's good it's Guerin, if it's bad it's someone else, mostly Evason. Guerin gets the cap excuse, but no one else gets to use it.

[M_Nels]

24 minutes ago, Outskated said:

Stramel was still a big reach, only projects as a bottom 6 center. Should never draft for need, especially when there was superior talent available still at 21.  Brackett missed the boat on that one.  I hope I am proven wrong though.  

Might go out in left field a little but stay with me. Stramel felt more like a "football draft pick" to me. Seems to happen quite a bit in the NFL draft especially with lineman. Some of these guys are drafted for their size, strength and athleticism even if they are still raw skill wise hoping that a professional coaching staff can develop the skill and mental side of the game to go along with the coveted, unteachable, size, strength and athleticism. 

Reeling it back in a bit but apparently they see a high-ish ceiling for Stramel if they can develop the skillset of his game. If he can develop into an Ek 2.0 then I think the 1st round pick is justifiable. Apparently Stramel scored well on his combine athleticism tests.

Edited October 22 by M_Nels
Further clarification

[Outskated]

From Russo in 2023....

Wild GM Bill Guerin noted that with a deep prospect pool, he had the opportunity this year to make a pick more based on positional need. And that was part of the driving force in taking the 6-3, 222-pound center. Guerin said they made some calls about potentially moving up but were pleased when Stramel was available at No. 21. “There were a few other players we could have taken, but to fill the need was pretty important this year,” Guerin said.  “It’s so hard to find a center with his size, skating ability — the grit, the jam,” Brackett said. “He fits a lot of our identity.”

They definitely drafted for need at the time.  The Center position for the Wild was pretty weak then as we all remember.  The only counter I'll offer is it takes 3-4 years for these later 1st round prospects to get to the NHL. So, drafting for what you need at the NHL level during that draft year is not a sound strategy.  The C position is in a much better state now with Rossi, Ek, Hartman and Khusi plus Yurov coming next year and that was all done in-house.  And Heidt will be in the mix in the next year or two.  They should always always draft the best available player.  I agree about the 'football' analogy also M_Nels.

 

[Citizen Strife]

I mean, getting a third liner era Ek is hardly a bad thing if Stranel is anywhere close to that.  Ek was always a completely unstoppable defensive force.

If it's an off and on unreliability, he won't last long, size be damned.

 

 

[FredJohnson]

4 hours ago, Willy the poor boy said:

If I was to venture a guess, I would say thats a big reason BG doesn't like him. He doesn't see him as strong mentally.

Because he has a confusing name pronunciation??!! Harsh.

[Willy the poor boy]

24 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

Because he has a confusing name pronunciation??!! Harsh.

Not sure if that's sarcasm. Knowing you, it likely is, but, no, taking two years to muster up enough fortitude to say it out loud to someone. I just don't think Guerin has it in him to respect people like that.

[FredJohnson]

1 hour ago, Willy the poor boy said:

Not sure if that's sarcasm. Knowing you, it likely is, but, no, taking two years to muster up enough fortitude to say it out loud to someone. I just don't think Guerin has it in him to respect people like that.

Harsh. 
My last name is hard to pronounce and I don't correct everyone. Should I not be respected for not correcting the mispronunciation? (Or are you just $hitting on Guerin?)

[Willy the poor boy]

14 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

Harsh. 
My last name is hard to pronounce and I don't correct everyone. Should I not be respected for not correcting the mispronunciation? (Or are you just $hitting on Guerin?)

I don't think I'm shitting on him, I'm just making an observation. There are reasons I've come to that conclusion (he needs to add some eff you to his game, among many others). But, I also have to say, I don't think it's any secret I don't like him.

[FredJohnson]

45 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

I don't think I'm shitting on him, I'm just making an observation. There are reasons I've come to that conclusion (he needs to add some eff you to his game, among many others). But, I also have to say, I don't think it's any secret I don't like him.

No no no that's not what I read. I am confused by this: "thats a big reason BG doesn't like him." Are you guessing that Guerin has an issue with guys that have hard to pronounce names and holds it against them? I mean his last name is GWERIN.

[mnfaninnc]

23 hours ago, Tony Abbott said:

Greenway's an interesting comp there, because Greenway wasn't a big-time scorer in college, either.

I think the main thing to take away here is that Stramel is already a better skater than Greenway is. Now, if Stramel can put forth better efforts, those were the 2 shortfalls of Greenway. 

When Greenway looked like someone ran over his cat, he was at his best, and players merely bounced off of him. But, far too often he looked passive and lazy and that would be my main complaint about him.

[mnfaninnc]

23 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

This is gonna be another one of those Trenin/Trenion things, isn't it?  Don't all press announcers have those pronunciation sheets with them?  You'd think that's mandatory.

Not for visiting teams' commentators. For the home team, sometimes the player has to clarify a pronunciation.

[Protec]

Guerin has been a polarizing GM. His overall results have been good. No bad AND expensive contracts. Spurgeon's may look bad now, but it's got just a few years left.

Ek, Boldy, Faber, Hartman, are all on good deals. Team-friendly, long-term value. Additionally, there's the draft, waivers, and deadline additions that haven't cost the Wild a ton. 

That's the core group right there if you add Middleton, Zuccarello who is still scoring, and Brodin. Who Guerin also extended if I recall. So yes, there are personality issues and criticisms that are valid but overall it's more nit-picking than evidence of a garbage GM. 

I could start with one signing I don't like one bit and go on for awhile myself but the whole "good with bad" phrase. So far the Wild look like last year's Spurgeon absence did indeed allow them to adjust to a future without #46. Sad to say but MN has played well enough defensively thus far that no desperation exists. Yet...

I do think Guerin has some flexibility AND he made sure Kaprizov money would be available. With a winning team and better depth at most positions it's a positive situation overall. The weaknesses are clear. We can't afford to lose Ek, Faber, Kaprizov, Brodin, or Boldy. The Wild need continued good goaltending which is hard to expect for all 82 games so unknown. The size is an issue for defending and winning draws. After the puck drop that size and strength matters in both zones. MN isn't struggling so much with the offense but can they defend well enough to compensate for bad bounces, crooked-refs, or poor goaltending? Ragging on NoJo or Fred right now isn't wrong necessarily but it's a minor thing surrounding the big picture. Not ruining it or making it a masterpiece. Stramel will be done with NCAA after next season basically and by then he could easily compete for an NHL role. Guys like Foligno will be wrapping up and centers like Hartman who could move to the wing or Fred will be guys Stramel could replace. Rossi is a great example of when being patient is smart.